Gate-latch.



,VIL A. KILWIER.

` GATE LATCH. APPLICATION FILED .EULY 6,1916.

Specification of Letters Patent JPate,nt-ett 24h tillen application filed J'uy f5, i916. Serial No. l07,2@ll

To (i1/ZZ w fiom vit lmay concern f Be it known that l, VVILLMM A. limiten, a citizen of the United States, and resident of De Halb, in the county of Dekalb and 5 State of illinois, have invented' certain new and useful lmprovelnents in. Gate-Latches, ot which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to gate' latches tor fastening swinging gates in closed posio tion, and more particularly relates to gate latches fornse on gatesarrangcd to swing horizontally both inwardly and outwardly into onen position and in some cases to gates which also tilt vertically at one end to litt 5 the swinging end of the gate, a type known as tilting gates.

@ne object o'l the invention is to provide a gate latch of in'iproved construction having;

novel means wherebythe gate latch is enraced hv the "ate when the frate is moved n is is E into Closed position and is automatically fas tened by the closing movement of the siringinir t ate so as to secure the gate in vclosed position.

Another object ot'the invention is to provide a gate latch having novel, means whereby the latch is secured in `ate holding' position nntil released manually and is readily released when the grate is to he opened..

Another object olf my invention is to provide a gate latch having novel means for maintaining; the various parts of the latch mechanism in coactingr relation and 'for preventingr the latch 'fasteningA means from moving' into minoperative positions.

A further ohjectot` the inventionis to provide a 1@fate latch havingmeans whereby a verticallytilting fate engages with and is held in closed position hy the lzmtch by swinginni the. gate horizontally into closed position while permitting .tree vertical tiltinlgy movement of the gate while locked against horizontal opening movement.

fr still further object ot my invention is i5 the provision of a grate latch having the novel emstrnctions.r combinations and a1'- rangenients oi' parts shown in the drawings,

to heniore inlly described hereinafter and to be particularly pointed out in the appended io claims.

The invention will he more clearly under stood hy reference to the aeco ipanying drawings in vvhichl Figure i is an elevation showing swinglng' gate having a, gate latch. thereon cin bodying the novel features of iny invention; Fig'. 2 is a side .ele 'ationj on a. larger scale, ot the gate latch toi-ming@r this invention; his. 3 is a pian of the gate latch of with the latch fastening in latchingr position; and lis a plain partly in sec tion and similar to that ot 2 'ivitlrthe gate iatehing mechanism shown in open or gate releasing position.

lin the accompanyh g drawings the nnmorals :2 and 3 designate vertical posts which are fixed hy their lower ends in no1-ight position in ground, Located between the posts 2 and 3 a gate which is "fastened at one end to the post 3 by means of clamps l, 4, and a pivotal support 5, the gate swinging; about the of the pivot support 5. The grate, which is oi the horizontally swing: ing' and vertically tilting; typ@ includes an articulated traine formed o' vertical ineinhers il and 7 pirotally connected at the ends thereof to lthe ends of horizontal nieinhers il and k il woven 'aire fabric l0 is emploi/erin to lill the rectangular space formed hy the members 7 S and 9 oit the gate trarne. ',lhe fabric l0 is secured at one to. the frame member ll and the opposite end ot the fain-ic is fastened to the auliiliary ineinher l1 of the trarne the member il beingn aoljastably secured to the traine member 7 lov hook bolts l2. l w

llionnted on the post 2 sons to operatively engage with the vertical ineinher il of the swinging end of the rate is the novel gate -latrhinn' mechanism termine; my invention. The latch mechanism as shown comprises tivo forked latches 13 each having tines 14, i4, which are adapted to einlnace the vertical member G oi the nate to fasten the gate in closed position'h The latches 13 are pivotally secured to flanged latch supports l5 by pivot pins 1G and thelateh supports are rigidly secured to the post hy means oit' iianges 17 and bolts 18. When desired a trl-bolt may be employed in lien oit the flanges l? and bolts '18 to fasten the supports to the post 2. Each latch 13 has an rearwardly eKtendfili ing arm 19 and the outer or swinging end of the arm 19 has projections or lugs 20 thereon as is clearly shown m Figs. 3 and et., Also Y formed on the rear end of the latches 16 is a boss having a concave edge 22, the plane of this boss being below the plane of the lower surface of the arm 19.

Pivotally mounted on each latch support 15 is a keeper 23. Each keeper has a pivot pin 24 formed integrally thereon or other'- wise fastened to the keeper to turn therewith. The pivot pin 24 for the upper keeper projects downwardly through an opening in its support 15 and the pivot pin 24 for the lower keeper 23 projects upwardly through an opening in its support '15. The projecting ends of the pivot pins 24 extend into the ends ot a hollow shaftl 25 conveniently formed of a piece of pipe, and transversely extending pins 26 in the registering holes in the pivot pins 241 and ends of the pipelshaft 25 fasten the keepers to the shaft so that when one keeper is turned the other turns also.

The keeper 23 has a lug'or ear 27 thereon with an aperture inthe lug through which the rear end ci the arm 19 oi the forked latch projects. The posts 28 forming the ends of the aperture or slot in the lug 27 engage with the projections 20 on the rear end of the arm 19 to maintain the iprked latch in gate securing position.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that when in latch. holding position (or that shown in Fig. 3) the posts 28 of the lug 27 on the keeper 23 are in a vertical plane between the plane 'of the axis of the latch pivot pin 16 and that of the pivot pin 24 of the keeper 23, and that the lugs 20 on the end of the arm 19 of the latch interlock so as to'prevent the keepers being turned by the forked latch into position to release and permit the forked latch to swing into gate releasing position.

vWhen the keeper 23 is turned on its pivot (manually) into the position shown in Fig. 4, or into its other and opposite angular position, the arm 19 will swing freely out of the slot in the lug 27 and will not engage with or he held by the posts 28 so that the .latch is released and thegate can be swung into open position, the gate swinging in one direction when the keeper is moved into the position, shown in Fig. 4, and swinging in the other direction when the keeper is moved inte its opposite angular position relative to theposition as shown in Fig. 1.

7When my improved gate latch mechanism is applied for use with. a tilting gate like that shown in the drawings, the swinging end of the gate can be tilted upwardly without interference of the latch mechanism, in such case the post 6 moving upwardly between the tines 14, 141,012 the forked latches 13. The rear end of the boss'on the latch 13, throughl which the latch pivot )in 16 extends, has a conca-vc curved surface 2 of a radius which clears the 'point 29 formed by the intersection of the concave curved surfaces 30 and 31 on the keeper 23 when the latch is in gate holding position, and the curved surfaces 30 and 31 ou the keeper 23 are of a radius which will permit the latch to swing on its pivot without engagement of the keeper with the curved surfaces 32 and 33 on the boss-0f the latch 13. The curved surfaces 30 and 32 and also the curved surfaces 31, 33, coact to prevent the keepers being rotated to such an extent as to prevent automatic turning of the keeper by the arm 19 on the latch 13 when the gate swings into open position, and in swinging into closedposition automatically engages with and swings the latch from the position shown in Fig. f1 into that shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of my improved gate latch will be readily understood. Assuming the gate to be in closed position, with the latch 13 and keeper 23 111 the position shown in Fig. 3, the member (i of the gate will be embraced by the tines 14 of the latch as is shown in Fig. l. When in this position the gate is locked against opening movement but the swinging end of the gate is free to tilt or move upwardly, thc gate shown being of the tilting type. The projections 20, 20, on the latch arm 19 engage with the posts 28 on the lug 27 of the keeper 23 and prevent turning movement of the keeper by the latch when the keeper is in the central position shown in Fig. 3. When it is desired to open the gate the keeper 23 is turned from the position shown in Fig. 3 into that shown in Fig. 4. As the top keeper 23 is connected to the bottom keeper 23 by the pipe shaft 25 the keepers turn in unison. When the keeper is in the position shown in Fig. any opening movement of the gate will cause the gate member G to engage with the tines 14 of the latch and a slight swinging movement of the latch 23 will move the rearwardly extending arm 19 forming an integral part of the latch,I to bring one or the other of the projections 2O on the end of the arm into interlocking engagement with one or tlieother of the posts 2S forming part of the upwardly extending lug 27 on the keepers and prevent further turning movement of the keeper and opening movement of the latch and gate. After the keeper 23 is moved manually into the position shown in Fig. 4 the swinging end of the gate can be moved as the member 6 of the gate swings the latch 13 from the position tshown in Fig. 3 into that shown in Fig. 4, the end of the arm 19 swinging freely out of the slot in the now singularly extending lug 27. The curved surfaces 30 and 32 or the curved surfaces Lanai/ea' 31. and 33 on the pivot pin'boss of the latch and on the edge ot the keeper, prevent or limit its turningr movement and maintain the' keeper in position so' that interference with the closing movement of thelatch by the' keeper is avoided and overcome.' ll hen the open gate is lacing moved into closed posi-4 tion the member 6 ot the gate will engage with the tines l/i. ot the latch 13 and swing the latch from the position shown in Fig. Li into theposition shown in Fig, 3. 'ln movin c" into the position ot Fig. 3 the arm i9 on `the rear end of the latch enters the slot in 'the lug Q7 ont-he keeper and the adjacent projection Btl on the end of the arm i9 engages with the adjoining post 2S on the keeper and swings the keeper from the angular position shown in Fig. i into the central and latch holding position shown in lli The gate is in this Way again locked in closed position, as further opening movement ci the gate will he prevented hv engagenient ci the arm 'i9 on the latch with the postl termine* part ot the lng 957? on the keeper, the projections 20 on the end ot the l@ interlkickiing,r with the posts 28 to 'tasten the latch in gate holding position.

ie advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 'lhe apparatus is simple, is strong and durable, and will not require frequent repairs.

` la/.lodiiications in the construction and ar rangement of the apparatus may he made vvitlioat departing from my invention. The

' gate latch mechanism may he applied to a gate which swings in but one direction inoi swinging inwardly and outwardly.

IThe gate need not necessarily he ot the ver tically tilting" type. di single latch and keeper mayv he employed instead ol tito latches as shown in the drawings., and other variations in the arrangement ot the parte may he made Without departing from my' invention as delined in the appended claims,

claim i. ln a gate latch, the combination with swinging gate of 'a forked latch adapted to engage with and hold the gate in closed position and having an integral v.arm thereon, a support on which the latch 1s pivotalljv mounted, and a keeper pivotally mounted on the latch support and having means engaging with said arm to lock the latchv in frate scouring position, said keeper being au tomatically moved by said arm into locking; position When the latch is moved hy the closinn movement of said gate.

2. ln a gate latch, the combination with a swinging gate ol a forked latch' adapted to engage with and hold the gate 1n closed position and having an integri-alarm there on, a support on which the latch 1s pivotallv mounted, a keeper pivotally mounted on the latch support and having means engaglng with said arm to lock the latch in gate seto engage with. and hold, the gate in closed curing position, said keeper being; automatically moved h v said arm into locking position `when. the latch is moved by' the closing v movement of said gate, and coacting means on said latch arm and keeper arranged to im prevent opening movement of said latch by opening movement of the closed gate.

3. lin a gate latch., the combination with al swinging gate oli a torkcd latch adapted 'lili position and having an integral. arm. thereon, a support on which the latch. is pivotally mounted, a keeper pivotally mounted on the latch support and having' means engaging with said arm to lock the latch in gate securing' position, said keeper being automatically moved hy said arm` into locking4 position, coactin'g,r means on said latch varm and keeper arranged to prevent movement of said latch into unlocked position hy opening movement of the gate, and coacting till 'means on the keeper and latch for prevent` ing movement ci the keeper When the latch is in gate releasing; position. d. ln a gate latch, the combination -with to P f I .c a swinging gate ot a rorked latch adapted to engage with and hold the gate in closed position and having an integral arm thereon, a. support on which the latch is pivotally mounted, a keeper pivotally mounted on the latch support and having means engaging with said arm to lock the latch in gate securing position, said keeper being automatically moved h v said arm into locking posi.- tion when the latch. is moved by the closing 100 movement ot said gate, and a lng on said keeper having a slot therein arranged to re- -ceive the end ol. the arm on said latch to lock the latch in gate holding position.

lin a gate latch, the combination with a 105 swinging gate ot' a forked latch adapted to engage with and hold the gate in closed position and havingA an integral arm thereon, a support on which the latch is pivotally mounted, a keeper pivotally mounted on the .110 latch support and having means engaging with said arm to lock the latch in gate securing position, said keeper being automatically moverl h v said arm into locking position when. the latch is moved by the closing 115 movement of said gate, a lug on said keeper yhap'ingr a slot therein arranged to receive the end of the arm on said latch to lock the latch mounted, keepers pivotally mounted on the4 latch supports, said keepers being rotatable `13@ when the hitch is moved into gate holding position by the closing movement of said gate. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my handu WILLAM AUGUSTUS KILMER. 

